Professional wrestling has evolved a lot during its century of history. The current Monday Night Raw from Minneapolis showed that pro wrestling's oldest trick is still a recipe for success.

The feud between "Main Event" Jey Uso and "The Ring General" Gunther that will lead to their World Heavyweight Title match at WrestleMania 41 has been heavily criticized by a segment of the WWE fandom. While immensely popular with live audiences, Jey seemed to struggle to fit the shoes of a main eventer outside of the orbit of The Bloodline, and some fans were not happy about the perspective of the respected, hard-hitting Gunther losing his title against an "entertainer". However, Jey, and WWE's storytelling, managed to make this match a must-see.

Jey Uso Finally Finds His Edge During Epic Monday Night Raw Promo

Jey Never Showed Such Intensity and Seriousness

It all began last week when Gunther lay waste to Jey's brother, Jimmy. This went beyond a mere beating, however, as Gunther handcuffed Jey, who ran in to help his brother, and forced him to watch while he brutalized Jimmy, going as far as spreading Big Jim's blood over his body. It was a brutal segment that set this feud back on track after a difficult start. Now, the story had a vicious villain and an underdog hero with a reason for revenge. However, WWE and the performers had to capitalize on it, and they surely did.

Jey got to the ring while Gunther waited with a complacent smirk on his face. While entering through the audience as usual, there was something clearly different about Jey: he was not Yeeting, nor smiling, nor jumping around. He was laser-focused on Gunther, and he did not give him a chance to talk. Grabbing the microphone, Jey told everyone about how he had to tell his mom what happened to Jimmy and that he was unable to protect his brother because - brace for it - he was scared of Gunther.

However, after what happened last week, Jey isn't afraid anymore. Now, it's Gunther's turn to speak to his family and make sure to hug them before WrestleMania 41 because after Jey gets his hands on him, he may not have a chance to do so anymore. The promo was brimming with intensity, as Jey was literally shaking with anger. Gunther didn't say a word, but his facial expression perfectly conveyed the message: "I XXXed up."

Jey Needed a Great Villain to Become a Great Hero

The Importance of the Heel

In pro wrestling, it's commonly understood that the babyface (the hero of the story) is the one who sells tickets, but there is a lot that goes beyond that simple concept. A hero is marketable only as long as the audience can relate to them, and the best way to do so is to make them feel vulnerable (which Jey achieved perfectly by saying he was scared of Gunther - who wouldn't be?) Enter the heel, or the villain of the story. They have the job of tormenting the hero, abusing them, cheating, and doing anything possible to bring them down, so that audiences will pay to see them finally stand up and give the villain their comeuppance.

It's the oldest story in pro wrestling, and it always works. It works in every form of storytelling media, actually: if Rocky had been the favorite in his match with Apollo, no one would have watched the movie. So, to make audiences finally feel for Jey, what this story needed was for the villain to step up, and Gunther did that last week. Now, on top of viral chants and the most energetic entrance in the business, Jey will give the audience of his match at 'Mania something invaluable: emotion and feeling. Just ask Cody Rhodes what difference that can make.

"Good vs. Evil" Is Still the Best Story to Tell in Pro Wrestling

Jey vs. Gunther Is Now a Must-Watch

When this feud started, it was very much about a "wrestler vs. entertainer" dichotomy. Gunther proclaimed that Jey was not on his level, and, unfortunately, many fans agreed with that. Jey's rebukes, including the mention that he makes arena shakes, were ultimately lacking intensity, and this felt like a generic "win the Rumble go to 'Mania" story. Everything changed, however, when Gunther showed his true colors. Now, this isn't about the title at all, to the point that Jimmy's final reference to the championship during his promo felt out of place. It's about family, revenge, and good triumphing over evil.

While this may seem trite and corny in 2025, pro wrestling has shown time and time again that going back to basics is good. Dusty Rhodes finally beating Ric Flair, Sting (briefly) putting the nWo in its place, Steve Austin kicking Vince McMahon's butt, Daniel Bryan winning the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 30, Cody finishing the story: these are all examples of how that simple formula can create the strongest reactions from fans. And, of course, it always sold a lot of tickets.

At WrestleMania 41, people will not just watch this match to Yeet with Jey or to complain online later if he wins. This is now a story, with stakes, emotions, and someone to root for. While it's still true that, in 2025, it's unlikely for an audience to be 100% behind the good guy, the turn that this feud has taken over the past two weeks was still masterly. Jey Uso vs. Gunther at WrestleMania 41 is now a must-see match, and it's all thanks to pro wrestling's oldest rule: people want to pay to see the hero beat the villain.